Pauly's Pub & Grill — Restaurant in Saint Paul

We were excited for our first visit based on recommendations from a friend, but we left a little disappointed.

First off, no complaints about the atmosphere or service. It has a classic and comfortable sports bar vibe. The staff were friendly, our server was attentive, and the food came out quick and hot.

The disappointment comes down to the food quality and value. We by no means are ones to balk at a $16-17 burger, but if you’re setting those kinds of prices, you’re also setting the expectation of a great entree and sides. We ordered the mushroom swiss and their signature Minnesotan burgers, each with a side of fries. The burgers themselves were fine overall, although the Minnesotan was rather bland considering it’s topped with “spicy” ingredients. We’re not looking to burn our mouths out or anything, but there was no heat whatsoever. We would probably try other options if we go back.

But the real head scratcher with our meals were the fries. Upcharging $3 for French fries already gets my eyes rolling a bit, but if they’re fresh, homemade, and delicious I can easily overlook the price. Well, what we were served looked and tasted like basic frozen crinkle cut fries from a wholesaler. They weren’t bad or inedible by any means, but it’s absurd to upcharge for something like that. And now that I’m reading other reviews, the other side options seem equally basic. Again, it comes down to price vs. expectation. If each of our meals were $12 with these same fries included, I’d be a lot more forgiving. But you can’t throw a stone in St. Paul without hitting another burger bar or pub with better quality food (with fresh cut chips and fries) with equal or even less expensive prices.

While we might give Pauly’s a second chance, it would probably be during a happy hour for some drinks and appetizers, as some of the apps that passed us did look...

It's been a while since I've had a really infuriating dining experience, but Pauly's made it happen. What was several nice restaurants before this one and a nice dining experience is now filled to the gills with televisions on every wall, tacky wallpaper with the name of the restaurant on it like some bad chain place, and a juke box playing so assaultingly loud you had to yell to carry on a conversation to the person across the table. Even the waiter was having trouble hearing orders. My ears were hurting so bad I actually put on my hifi earplugs I wear at concerts to dull the excruciating noise. The food was mediocre bar fare, especially for the price and the service was slow. I got a burger and a cup of French onion soup. The soup was as small as a dipping ramekin, had no flavor and was $5. My friend got an unseasoned flavorless fish sandwich, it was literally a piece of fish on a bun, not garnished, no sauce. And if you're vegetarian or vegan good luck finding anything on the menu you can eat, I didn't see anything. But the most infuriating thing were the overpriced drinks. There was no price on the menu and now I know why; they are blindly ripping you off. My meal was $20. My one drink was also $20. It wasn't even good, it tasted like dish water with a hint of citrus. Our waiter was nice, but that was the only redeeming quality of this place. Actually I felt bad for them and hope they find a better job. So if you need to reaffirm your gender by watching others play sports while eating food celebrating your Caucasian heritage and want permanent hearing loss to boot, this might be the place for you. I will not be coming back. Very very...

As I entered Pauly's, it was definitely a bustling place, with awesome 80s rock blaring and it was pretty busy, not too busy to find a spot, but lively. It was a weekend night. I say at the bar. Behind the bar was Bree and sometimes Jim, one of the owners.

Even though Bree recommended the Pauly's Old Fashioned, I decided to get the blackberry martini to start. It was the right blend of sweet, sour, and booze to get my appetite and mood flowing right.

I ordered the Minnesotan Burger, which for real had some spice to it. The jalapenos they use must be very fresh because they pack a punch. The burger meat was quality, and they topped it with bacon and pepper-jack cheese. I have no idea why they call the spicy burger the Minnesotan, since most Minnesotans are spicy adverse, but it's probably more for the Bold North kind of Minnesotan.

I ordered it with fries. Pauly's menu is kind of cool. It's a little more to pretty fries, so you won't have to feel obligated to eat them or won't waste them if you don't eat fries. But if you want fries, it's there. I actually offered it with the Top of the Tartar sour cream, which was also good.

For dessert, I ordered the recommended Pauly's Old Fashioned. And I agree, it was a good one.

This is my new local neighborhood bar. Everything is pretty similar priced (as of now), which I like so I just get what I want instead of just ordering an appetizer to save a few bucks.

On a separate night, I just stopped in for a quick bite and got the chili, which was spot on great chili...